Joseph sachs



(N0 Model.)

J. SACHS.

v AUXILIARY FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. No. 481,590. A Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JOSEPH SACHS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUXILIARY FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,590, dated August30, 1892.

Application filed March 29, 1892. Serial No. 426,960- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SACHS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AuxiliaryFire-Alarm Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a system of electricalcommunications with fire-alarm boxes, whereby an alarm can be sent by anoperator at an auxiliary sending-box located at any distance from thestreet fire-alarm mechanism, and a returnsignal received at thesending-box to show whether the device which operates the alarmmechanismhasperformed its proper functions without opening thestreet-case in which the alarm mechanism is placed.

Heretofore auxiliary fire-alarm signals have been provided which form apart of or are electrically connected with the fire-alarm apparatus ormechanism located in the streetcase; but in this invention the object isto supply a separate, simple, and inexpensive electrical device whichcan be placed within any fire-alarm street-case for operating itmechanically, and then to provide a single circuit, which may consist ofone wire andthe ground, having in said circuit an auxiliary sending-boxat the opposite end of the line provided with a circuit-closer and areturnsignal therein, which is operated only when the operating devicein the street fire-alarm case has been properly actuated by thisauxiliary sending-box, all of which will now be set forth in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a complete circuit,showing the firealarm street-case containing the alarm mechanism and theoperating device for releasing the same, and an auxiliary sending-boxcontaining a circuit-closer and a return-signal, both the operatingdevice and the auxiliary sending-box being connected by a single wireand ground return; Fig. 2, a front view of the auxiliary sending-box,showing circuit-closer and return-signal; Fig. 3, a side view of thesame; Fig. 4, an end view of same, showing return-signal only; and Fig.5, a view showing modified form of connecting up the difteren devicesshown in Fig. 1.

In constructing my invention it should be borne in mind that the primaryobject is to place in the street fire-alarm case an electrical devicewhich is operated by a circuit that is entirely independent of thecircuit which operates the fire-alarm mechanism, and the only connectionbetween this operating device and the fire-alarm mechanism is amechanical connection, preferablyin the form of a link, rod, or cord, sothat when the armature of the operating device is actuated it willoperate the fire-alarm mechanism in the street-case in the same manneras it it had been operated by hand directly at the streetcase. Thismechanism consists of a magnet A, which is mounted in this instance onone limb B of a U-shaped piece, the other limb O having hinged theretoan armature D, which armature is connected by means of a rod E with thetrip-arm F of the alarm mechanism. To the limb G is attached by means ofan insulated piece a contact-finger G, with which the armature D engageswhen the magnet is energized and the alarm mechanism is set in motion.This contact-finger G is connected by a conductor H with the ground atH, and also with one pole of the battery I. The limb C of the magnet isconnected with the other pole of the batteryIby wire K. One end of themagnet-windingA also connects with the limb O and the other end of thewinding with the circuitwire L, running to the circuit-closer in theauxiliary sending-box.

The auxiliary sending-box may be located at any distance from the streetfire-alarm box, which contains the mechanism just described, and itcontains a circuit-closer M, which may be made in any desired form bestadapted to the purpose. I prefer using it in the form of an ordinarypush-button, as shown. Below this circuit-closer is a base-piece O,which is provided with a right-angled or forwardlyprojeeting limb P,with a short return-bend Q. To this limb P is secured a magnet B. To theprojecting end of the base 0, I hinge an armature S, which projects outslightly beyond the ma net B. To the return-bend Q is attached anL-shaped plate T, which extends overthe magnet and terminates at the endof the magnet in close proximity to the free end of the armature S.Centrally onthe body of this plate T is an inscription Signal Received,or words of similar import, and directly in front of this is an aperturein the ease through which this inscription may be seen. This plate hasalso hinged thereon a swinging plate U, adapted to cover up theinscription or words. The free end of this swinging piece U hasafingerU, which when the hinged piece is in its normal position over theinscription is held in place by a latch V, hinged to the face of thepiate T.' Thelatch is held in place by a spring V, as shown. The end ofthe L-shaped plate T on its lower side has a projecting point or lug W,and the free end of the armature S has a finger W, which projects overthe plateT and is then bent down behind the point W, so that the throwof the armature is regulated by this stop or lug. The finger W, it willbe observed, engages with the latch Vbelow the notch, so that when thehinged piece U is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 2, and thearmature S is attracted by the magnet R and moves toward the end of theplate T, the finger W engages the latch V, moving it over sufficientlyto trip or release the lug U from the notch of the latch, permitting thehinged piece to drop down and rest on the finger W, and when thearmature again returns to its normal position the hinged piece drops.

down by force of gravity to the position shown by dotted lines Y, Fig.2, thus exposing the inscription or return-signal referred to. It willbe seen that one end of the magnet'winding R is connected with thecircuitcloser and the other end of the winding with the ground at Z.

The auxiliary sending-box has in its front face an aperture Y, throughwhich access is gained to the push-button or circuit-closer. Over thisaperture I paste a slip of paper Z, on which is placed any suitabledirections for operating the device. -The object of this is to keep thecircuit-closer normally sealed up, so that in order to operate it thepaper seal Z would have to be ruptured in order to actuate thepush-button.

In operation we will suppose that one of these auxiliary sending-boxesis located in a residence remote from the street fire-alarm box withwhich it is connected by the wire L.

When now the circuit-closer is pushed in,the.

current from the battery I is sent through wire K, limb C, magnet A,wire L, thence through circuit-closer M and magnet R to the ground at Z.The magnet A being thus energized, the armature D is drawn down, andthus actuates the trip-arm ot' the street-alarm mechanism, and,therefore, the armature D engages with the contact-finger G, therebyshort-circuiting the battery I and again returning the armature to itsnormal position. As the sending of a current through the magnet B alsoattracts the armatureS, the hinged piece U is at the first movement ofthe armature tripped or disengaged from the hook of the latch V and heldon the finger W of the the armature isreleased and returns to its normalposition, thereby. allowing the hinged piece U to drop.

I particularly call attention to one important feature in this system.It is obvious that a fire-alarm box equipped with an operating device ofthis character does not require to be opened in order to be positivelyassured that the signal is given or properly responded to by thealarm-box, because the auxiliary operating device or the circuitclosertherein and the return-call, which are always together in one case, areadapted to show the return-signal only when the alarmbox has done itswork properly, or, rather, when the operating device has properly actedupon it. The device is therefore perfectly adapted as a return call orsignal for hotelbells, or for any other purposes where returnsiguals aredesirable. It should be understood, however, that the attachment of thisoperating mechanism in the alarm-box does not interfere with theoperation of the alarm mechanism at the case, nor is the auxiliarymechanism operated or the return-call set in motion when the alarmmechanism is actuated by hand.

What I claim as new isl. A fire-alarm system consistingof a firealarmmechanism and a separate and independent electro-magnetic trippingdevice for said fire-alarm mechanism, a circuit-controlling devicedirectly connected with said tripping device, and an auxiliary operatingdevice at the other end of the circuit, consisting of a circuit-closerand a return-call.

2. A fire-alarm system consisting of the firealarm mechanism, a separateelectro-magnetic tripping device for said fire-alarm mechanism, acircuit-control1ing device connected with said tripping device, and anauxiliary operating device composed of a circuit-closer and retu rn-callin the same circuit as the tripping device and circuit-controller in thefire-alarm box, but remote from said box, substantially as set forth.

3. A fire-alarm system consisting of firealarm mechanism, a separateelectro-magnetic tripping device for said fire-alarm mechanism, acircuit-breaking device connected with said tripping device, acircuit-closing device remote from said box, a return-call adjacent tosaid circuit-closer, and a single electric circuit connecting saidtripping device, said circuit-breaking device, said circuit-closer, andsaid return-call.

4. A fire-alarm system consisting of a firealarm mechanism, a separateelectro-magnetic tripping device for said fire-alarm mechanism, acircuit-controlling device connected with said tripping device, and anynumber of circuit-closers and return-calls remote from said fire-alarmmechanism and in one and the same circuit with each other and with saidtripping device and said circuit-controlling device.

5. A fire-alarm system consisting of a firebattery in the circuit withsaid circuit-closers and return-calls.

6. A fire-alarm system consisting of a firealarm mechanism, anelectro-magnetic tripping device for said alarm mechanism, acircuit-controlling device on said tripping device, a circuit-closerremote fromvsaid alarm mechanism, and a return-call adjacent to saidcircuit-closer and comprising a movable guard normally held by alatchand a magnet having an armature to engage with said latch,- said magnet,circuit-closer, tripping device, and circuit-controlling device being inone and the same electric circuit, whereby when the circuit-closer isoperated the tripping device will be actuated and simultaneously thesaid magnet will be energized, thereby tripping the said latch, allowingthe movable guard to fall upon the armature of the said magnet,and-whereby the .said circuit-controllingdevice will beoperatedsimultaneously with the .movement of the tripping device, therebybreaking the circuit, so as to allow the armature of the said magnet toretract, allowing the movable guard to drop to its limit of movement.

Signed at .New York, in the county of New York and State of-New York,this 22d day of March, A. D. 1892.

JOSEPH SACHS. Witnesses:

J. S. ZERBE,

O. FRED. BUCHANAN.

